Falcons Sign Kyle Pitts to Record 3-Year, $54M Deal

The Atlanta Falcons signed tight end Kyle Pitts to a three-year, $54 million extension on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. The deal makes Kyle Pitts the highest-paid tight end on a three-year basis in NFL history. Atlanta locks up Pitts before his franchise-tag season.

Inside the Richest Short-Term Tight End Contract Ever

The Falcons gave Kyle Pitts $54 million over three seasons, worth $18 million per year. The contract includes $36 million guaranteed for Pitts. Atlanta had used the franchise tag on Pitts earlier in the 2026 offseason. The two sides faced a July 15 deadline for a long-term deal.

Kyle Pitts caught a career-high 88 passes in 2025. Pitts gained 928 receiving yards and scored five touchdowns that season. Pitts averaged 10.5 yards per reception across those 88 catches. The 2025 totals marked the best output for Pitts since his 2021 rookie year.

Atlanta drafted Pitts fourth overall in 2021, the highest slot for a tight end in modern NFL history. Pitts gained 1,026 receiving yards as a rookie in 2021. Injuries and quarterback churn slowed Pitts over the next three seasons. The extension signals renewed Atlanta faith in Pitts at age 25.

The Pitts deal reshapes the tight end market across the NFL. Atlanta committed $54 million to a single tight end position. The contract guarantees Pitts $36 million regardless of future production. That structure rewards the strong 2025 season from Pitts.

Atlanta selected Pitts ahead of every tight end in the 2021 class. Pitts became the second rookie tight end to reach 1,000 receiving yards. Mike Ditka was the first rookie tight end to do so in 1961. The Pitts contract now bets on a return to that ceiling.

The Atlanta passing offense struggled with quarterback instability after 2021. The Falcons hope continuity now maximizes the Pitts skill set. Pitts stands 6-foot-6 and stretches defenses down the seam. The extension keeps that mismatch in Atlanta through 2028.

The $36 million guarantee gives Kyle Pitts cost certainty through the 2028 season. The deal lets Atlanta keep Pitts off a one-year franchise tag. Pitts now anchors the Falcons offense beside a young passing core. The $18 million average ranks among the highest for NFL tight ends.

Kyle Pitts enters 2026 as a centerpiece of the Atlanta passing attack. The Falcons open the 2026 regular season chasing an NFC South rebound. Pitts, age 25, has three seasons to justify the $54 million commitment. Atlanta will lean on Pitts to convert red-zone targets into touchdowns.